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Fabregas - FA Cup Semi is not about revenge

By Richard Clarke

Arsenal’s FA Cup clash with Chelsea is not a revenge mission, according to Cesc Fabregas.

The Stamford Bridge side came from behind to beat Arsène Wenger’s young team in a controversial Carling Cup Final back in 2007. But, speaking after the victory over Villarreal on Wednesday, Fabregas was quick to put that in the past. Saturday’s Semi-Final is a different game at a different venue and in a different competition.

“I do not like the word revenge,” said the 21-year-old. “That game was two years ago and we have played Chelsea since.

“We have beaten them a few times, at home and away this year, so we know we can do it but it will be really difficult as I like them very much.

“We don’t expect to score four like Liverpool this week. That was a freak result, they are a very strong team and they are recognised for being strong at the back. They have key players like Lampard and Drogba who make them tick.”

Fabregas has never played at or even visited the new Wembley so he is looking forward to the game.

“Immensely,” said the Spaniard. “It is a great stadium from what I heard, with 80,000 people, it will be good to play a Semi-Final there.”

Fabregas only come into the Arsenal side on April 4 after three and a half months out. He looks like he has never been away – setting them up a string of goals for his resurgent side. However the skipper is not surprised about his rapid re-adaption because he prepared solidly by the Club’s fitness coach.

“In the last six weeks I really worked hard with the Tony Colbert who was killing me,” said Fabregas. “I thought he was crazy but now I know why he was doing it because I feel quite strong. Villarreal was just my fourth game.

“Still in the last 10 minutes of each game I still feel a little bit but I think in the next game I will be there.”

Copyright 2015 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source17 Apr 2009

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